Lessons from a Hairstyle
by aiiro
Summary: Why did Haru cut her hair? Why did Chrome let her hair grow?


"Chrome-chan!" Haru shouted worriedly as she rushed inside Chrome's room with the first aid kit on hand.

"Haru-chan?"

Haru quickly hid the first aid kit she brought behind her back. "Uhm… Is your training already finished?"

"Yes. I just finished a while ago."

Haru perked up then fidgeted nervously. "The wound on your back…" Haru said reluctantly. "Did you already put an ointment on it?"

 _Ah._ Chrome thought when she saw the first aid kit behind Haru. She smiled as she shook her head. "No. It's fine. I have already stopped the bleeding and the wound is already healing."

"But you should still point some ointment on it to make it heal faster!" Haru exclaimed. "Please show me your back, okay?"

Chrome hesitantly removed her shirt and showed her wounded back on her friend. Haru flinched when she saw again the wound but quickly regain her composure. She opened the first aid quick and grabbed some cotton. She dabbed it with some ointment.

"Chrome-chan, earlier, Kyoko-chan and I agreed to cease the boycott." Haru said as she started to apply the cotton on the wound. "Right now, Kyoko-chan is shopping ingredients for tonight's feast!"

"Bossu would be happy to hear that. I'm sure he and the others would be happy to eat your meals again after their training." Chrome commented.

Haru suddenly stopped.

"Haru-chan? Is something wrong?" Chrome asked worriedly.

Haru shook her head. "No. No. Nothing's wrong, Chrome-chan." she said defensively. "I have already finished applying the ointment on your wound."

"Thank you, Haru-chan." Chrome said as she wore her shirt again.

"Chrome-chan, you know… I sometimes really envy you so much."

"Haru-chan..?" Chrome said as she tilted her head on the side to show her confusion.

"I envy you because you can support Tsuna-san and the others directly by fighting along their side." Haru said as a small bitter smile appeared on her face. "You fight with them while we are stuck in the kitchen waiting."

"Haru-chan." Chrome called softly to her friend. "That's not true. When we are on our way back from the Merone Base, Bossu and the others are filled with happiness when you welcomed us back. By knowing that we have friends to protect and return to is what fuels our resolve." Chrome paused and smiled. "I'm sure Bossu would tell you everything when the right time comes!"

"Chrome-chan, thank you…" Haru said softly. "That's right! Tsuna-san would tell everything when the right time comes!" She paused. "By now, Kyoko-chan must be back from shopping. I'll go to the kitchen to help and help her cook a feast. Bye-bye, Chrome-chan! See you at dinner!" Haru exclaimed as she exited the room.

When she was sure Haru was gone, Chrome softly sighed to herself. "Haru-chan, it is I who envies you the most. You are strong and independent. You support Bossu on your own little ways, while I can only support them by fighting with them and becoming the Mist guardian in Mukuro-sama's place."

* * *

 **Ten years later**

* * *

"Haru-chan, why did you suddenly want to cut your hair short?" Kyoko asked. Today was 'Kyoko and Haru's Appreciation Day'. The two of them are eating their favorite cakes at the local bakery.

Haru touched the tips of her newly cut hair. "Did I cut it too short?"

Kyoko shook her head. "No. It suits you perfectly."

"Thanks, Kyoko-chan." Haru smiled. "To tell you the truth, I wanted to cut my hair in a _pineapple hairstyle_!"

" _Pine…apple_ hairstyle?" Kyoko asked while restraining the urge to raise at her friend's unusual antics.

"Yup!" Haru agreed eagerly. "But I thought my cosplay buddy might be offended."

"Cosplay… _buddy_?" Kyoko asked hesitantly. _Who?_

"It's Mukuro-san! He, Reborn-chan and I are cosplay buddies!"

"Ah… I see." was Kyoko's only reply.

"I thought that if I cut it in a pineapple hairstyle, he might think that I mimicked him and be offended." Haru said as a heavy sigh escaped from her.

"Eh? Then why did you want to cut your hair?"

"The one I wanted to copy was _Chrome-chan_!" Haru exclaimed.

"Chrome-chan?"

"Do you remember back when we are in middle school? Her hair was on pineapple hairstyle!"

"Ah!" Kyoko said as she clapped her hands. "I remember! But she let her hair grow since then, didn't she?"

Haru leaned on the table gloomily. "Yeah. She did. It was a waste. She looks so cute in that hairstyle!"

Kyoko laughed. "Then? Why did you want to copy Chrome-chan's pineapple cut?"

Haru straightened on her seat. "Kyoko-chan, do you still remember the time we are sent in an alternate future?"

"Yes. What about it?"

"I think it was during our boycott." Haru smiled at the memory. "Chrome-chan encouraged me. She said that we are already supporting Tsuna-san and the others in our own little ways. Those words may not mean much to her, but to me those words made me stronger. Starting then, I began to have thoughts like, _'What if I cut my hair like Chrome-chan?'_ or _'Maybe, I should also wear an eye patch like hers!'_ " Haru paused. "Ten years have passed since that day, and I thought I should cut my hair to commemorate it though Chrome-chan might not even remember it."

Kyoko only smiled. "I'm sure, Chrome-chan remembers it. It was _Chrome-chan_ after all."

* * *

Chrome and I-pin just finished their sparring match. Though I-pin has quitted practicing martial arts, she still practices it sometimes to stay in shape. She found her perfect sparring partner when Chrome volunteered herself (Lambo was not considered as her sparring partner, he was just her substitute sandbag). Chrome said that as illusionist, she is weak to physical attacks and therefore must overcome this weakness.

"Chrome-san, your hair… It has grown long." I-pin said when she noticed Chrome's hair covering almost the half of her face.

Chrome smiled. "Yeah. It sometimes gets in the way during my fights. Maybe I should start tying it in a ponytail?"

Using her mist flames, she produced a hair tie and used it to tie her hair in a ponytail.

"There. That should do it." She said as she finished tying it up.

"Don't you want to cut it short? It's more convenient that way."

Chrome shook her head. "No, I wanted my hair to be long. I even got rid of my pineapple hairstyle just for this!" Chrome joked.

I-pin laughed. "But you know, Chrome-san… when you tie your hair like that, it reminds me of Haru-san's hairstyle when she was in middle school."

Chrome only smiled. "I see. Well, Haru-chan was the one who inspired me to grow out my hair."

I-pin teased. "Care to share?"

Chrome smiled. "It was during the time we were sent in the future. You are still a young child back then so you may not remember it clearly." Chrome paused. "During those times, I always admired Haru-chan who was independent and strong. I wanted to become someone like her. I thought that if I grow out my hair like her, I would become like her. She may not know it, but she was the reason why I gathered enough courage and became an independent person."

* * *

 **end**

* * *

I got the idea of this plot from Fullmetal Alchemist's Simple People. Please review? :D


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